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Homemade Mexican Rice

Meggan Hill

4.93 from 174 votes

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Learn the secret to making restaurant-style Mexican Rice at home. It’s always perfect: tender, delicious, never sticky. Whether you are making dinner for the family or feeding 100, this recipe works every time and it tastes exactly the way you want it to! 

Mexican rice in a white serving dish.


 

Meggan’s notes

If you’re craving restaurant-style Mexican Rice at home, this is the perfect tutorial for you. As a classically-trained chef (and the wife of a life-long line cook who was born and raised in Mexico), I’ve made Mexican rice all the possible ways it can be made. I’ve settled on this method for perfect Mexican rice that is easy to make and easy to freeze.

The secret to perfect Mexican rice is to puree fresh tomatoes and onions. Then, follow a standard pilaf-style method where you toast dry rice in oil (this is exactly how they make it in Mexico). Finally, my personal secret is to bake the rice in the oven. You can make it on the stove, too, but I love how easy it is to pop a huge casserole dish full of rice in the oven until it’s fluffy, tender, and oh-so flavorful.

Make a large batch so you have plenty to freeze for future meals. Be sure to cool the rice quickly (I like to spread it out on a rimmed baking sheet), then pack into freeze-safe bags and freeze for a few months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or defrost in your microwave. I follow this routine religiously so I can easily pull out a tasty, flavorful side dish any night of the week.

Table of Contents

  1. Meggan’s notes
  2. Mexican Rice Recipe Ingredients
  3. How to Make Easy Mexican Rice
  4. Mexican Rice Recipe Variations
  5. How to Store Homemade Mexican Rice
  6. How to Serve Mexican Rice
  7. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. Easy Mexican Rice Recipe

Mexican Rice Recipe Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Mexican rice.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

  • Tomatoes and onions: So many readers love using their favorite salsa instead of the tomato/onion mixture. You can even use canned tomatoes, Rotel, or a couple cans of El Pato tomato sauce, a zesty tomato and chili purée found at Mexican grocery stores. As long as you have two cups of liquid, you’re good to go.
  • Rice: Any long-grain white rice (including Basmati and Jasmine) work well here. To substitute brown rice, add 10 minutes to the baking time.
  • Tomato paste: If you don’t want to open a small can of tomato paste, look for a tube at the grocery store. In Mexico cooks use one cube of Consomate brand tomato bouillon instead of tomato paste.
  • Cilantro: Or substitute parsley. In truth, no one in Mexico ever does this (but let’s be honest: they would never make rice in the oven, either).

How to Make Easy Mexican Rice

This method starts the rice on the stove, but finishes it off in the oven. You need a heavy Dutch oven or stock pot with a lid that’s oven safe.

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes and onions until smooth. Measure 2 cups of puree, pouring off and discarding any excess.
Tomatoes, onions, and garlic pureed in a blender for Mexican rice.
  1. In a large Dutch oven or a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil until shimmering. Add the long-grain rice and sauté, stirring frequently, until light golden in color, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Sauteing rice in oil for Mexican rice.
  1. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato mixture, broth or water, tomato paste, and salt to taste (I like 1 ½ teaspoons). Simmer and bring to a boil.
Cooking Mexican rice in a skillet.
  1. Cover (or transfer to a baking dish and cover) and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir halfway through baking time.
Mexican rice transferred to a baking dish to cook.
  1. Fluff rice with a fork. Fold in cilantro or parsley (if using) and season to taste with salt. Serve with lime wedges.
Mexican rice in a white serving dish.

Mexican Rice Recipe Variations

  • Yield: This Mexican Rice recipe makes about 6 cups rice, enough for 12 (1/2-cup) servings.
  • Jalapeños: If you want, stir in 1-2 minced jalapeños peppers with the fresh garlic. They don’t do this in Mexico, but it adds a great flavor.
  • Peas and carrots: Sometimes in Mexico, they add ¼ cup frozen peas and carrots midway through cooking. You can use storebought veggies or homemade peas and carrots.
  • Stove-top: You can also make Mexican rice on the stove (that’s what they do in Mexico). After the rice comes to a boil, reduce the heat to the lowest possible temperature on your stove, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes.
  • Rice cooker: Follow the steps in the recipe below exactly as written through Step 4. Once you bring the rice to a boil, transfer it to your rice cooker (coated with nonstick spray). Close and seal the rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For white rice, it took 33 minutes in mine (nearly the same as the oven) and there was no stirring needed. For brown rice, it takes about 50 to 55 minutes. Find my best Rice Cooker picks here.
  • Big batch rice: For enough Mexican Rice to feed 25 people, use an 8-quart stock pot, triple the ingredients, and add 10 minutes to the baking time (40 minutes total).
  • Baked white rice: If you love cooking rice in the oven as much as I do, check out my Baked Rice recipe which is even easier than this one. I make batches just to keep in the freezer. It’s great for quick fried rice or side dishes any night of the week.
  • Cinco de Mayo: Planning your own Fiesta? Add this to another Mexican Dish! Discover my full menu of Cinco de Mayo recipes including Chicken Fajitas, Carne Asada, Birria, Tacos al Pastor, Chicken Tinga, Strawberry Margaritas, or Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowls.
Mexican rice in a white bowl.

How to Store Homemade Mexican Rice

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Can you freeze Mexican Rice?

Spread the cooked rice out on a rimmed baking sheet to have the rice cool it quickly. Then, scoop it into a freezer bag. Then, when you need a quick side dish, just pull a bag of rice out of the freezer, defrost, and reheat. It works like a dream!

How to Serve Mexican Rice

Serve Mexican rice on the side of all of your favorite Mexican foods like Carne Asada, Tacos al Pastor, Shrimp Fajitas, and Chicken Tinga. Or, pack it into soft flour tortillas with scrambled eggs, cheese, and hot sauce for an epic breakfast burrito. I also love to eat it by the bowl topped with sour cream. It’s also delicious in your next burrito bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Mexican Rice without oil?

To omit the oil completely, follow the recipe as written, making this change for Step 3: Instead of heating oil in a pot, toast the dry rice (un-rinsed) on high, stirring CONSTANTLY, until about half the rice is lightly browned. Keep your eye on it; you need to keep it moving so it doesn’t scorch. Continue the recipe as written, stirring in the garlic. The rice will bake up perfectly, separated and fluffy, as if you had used oil.

How do you make vegan Mexican rice?

Follow the recipe as directed, swapping the chicken broth for water or vegetable broth.

Can you make Mexican rice in a rice cooker?

I find that rice cookers help make the fluffiest rice and when we rounded up the best rice cookers, our top pick was my personal favorite: The Aroma Housewares Rice Cooker. It’s compact, super simple, and does exactly what it’s supposed to do without fail. My sisters, Erin and Meredith, each have the same one, and we all love it. Not to mention, it has over 58,000 reviews. That’s a whole lot of rice!

You can check out the rice cooker variation for Mexican Rice below. Also, Rice cookers can cook polenta beautifully without stirring it for a million hours. It’s not just a one-job appliance, so I hope you find many uses for one of my favorite cooking gadgets.

More authentic Mexican recipes

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Mexican Rice in a white casserole dish.

Easy Mexican Rice

By Meggan Hill
Learn the secret to making restaurant-style Mexican Rice at home. And it's always perfect: Tender, delicious, never sticky.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 servings (1/2-cup each)
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Calories 174
4.93 from 174 votes
ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes and onions until smooth. Measure 2 cups of puree, pouring off and discarding any excess.
  • In a large Dutch oven or a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil until shimmering. Add the rice and sauté, stirring frequently, until light golden in color, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato mixture, broth or water, tomato paste, and salt to taste (I like 1 ½ teaspoons). Bring to a boil.
  • Cover (or transfer to a baking dish and cover) and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir halfway through baking time.
  • Fluff rice with a fork. Fold in cilantro or parsley (if using) and season to taste with salt. Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Tomatoes and onions: So many readers love using their favorite salsa instead of the tomato/onion mixture. You can even use canned tomatoes, Rotel, or a couple cans of El Pato tomato sauce, a zesty tomato and chili purée found at Mexican grocery stores. As long as you have two cups of liquid, you’re good to go.
  2. Rice: Any long-grain white rice (including Basmati and Jasmine) work well here. To substitute brown rice, add 10 minutes to the baking time.
  3. Tomato paste: If you don’t want to open a small can of tomato paste, look for a tube at the grocery store. In Mexico cooks use one cube of Consomate brand tomato bouillon instead of tomato paste.
  4. Cilantro: Or substitute parsley. In truth, no one in Mexico ever does this (but let’s be honest: they would never make rice in the oven, either).
  5. Yield: This Mexican Rice recipe makes about 6 c. rice, enough for 12 (1/2-c.) servings.
  6. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 174kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 156mgPotassium: 98mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 21IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
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4.93 from 174 votes (76 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. I made this with brown rice! I sort of burned a bit of the rice when I left it in the oil for a minute, maybe I had the heat too high or maybe brown rice cooks faster that way. Anyway, this is SO DAMN GOOD. I have really missed Mexican rice since going vegan and this is totally the real deal. It has loads of flavor, you can’t even taste the (sort of) burned rice (I should have started over but I was in a time crunch). Side note – I used to get this shrimp burrito at this great authentic Mexican food joint my my place before I was vegan and they’d toss the Mexican rice in ranch. I just tried this with vegan ranch and it is so delicious and tastes exactly like the burrito I’ve missed for so long! Thanks for posting! – Cogey from Cooking Without Carcasses5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hey Cogey! Thanks so much for the comment. I have burned my share of rice testing this out, I always ate it too! Ha ha! So anyway, tossing the rice in RANCH is basically genius, I cannot wait to try this. I’m glad you liked the recipe and that it (more or less) worked for you. I am currently testing this recipe for a crowd – 3x-ing it to feed 24+. Next I will test it with brown rice. I’m sure the baking time would be different. Thanks again! PS, GREAT blog name!!

  2. Can I transfer everything into an aluminum tray, cover it with foil, and bake in the oven AFTER I do the stove top steps of frying and stirring? I have a small pot and I will need to make about 4 cups of rice. Hopefully that’s enough for 15 adults, there will be the main dish as well.

    Reply

    1. Hi Mike! Yes, you do the baking after you do the stove-top steps. That is correct. I never tried baking the rice in an aluminum pan with foil on top, I would just try to make sure the foil is on really tightly so the rice can steam. And perhaps put a baking sheet under the pan just to be safe! Doubling the recipe should give you enough rice for 15 adults, especially if it’s a side dish. Just make sure your aluminum pan is big enough, I’d say 4 quart capacity at a minimum for a double batch of rice. Thank you for your comment!

  3. very yummy and garlicky. A few extra steps than a pot of plain rice but the oven really does a great job. I didn’t have fresh tomatoes and I substituted a 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes, drained and it was perfect! Although next time i won’t bother draining because i had to add water to it to reach 2 cups.5 stars

    Reply

    1. Thanks for this info, Emily! I definitely need to retest and sub a can of tomatoes because that makes this recipe even easier. Glad you liked it! Thanks again!

  4. Hey Meggan, I came across this recipe AFTER I asked a Mexican coworker of mine on how to make Spanish rice. Everything was the same except 1 or 2 things, but that’s ok. I’ll use yours since I didn’t write the other down haha. I’m worried about the “saltiness” of the dish. I do NOT want it to be salty, I’ve made it before (not this recipe) and it came out so salty that I felt dehydrated for like 2 days. If I use half of the Bouillon cube and make 2 cups of liquid stock, would it come out too bland? I need to know before this Saturday and unfortunately don’t have time to test due to work and school =/5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hey there! Sorry for the late reply, I as traveling. I would say just leave out all the salt while you cook the rice and taste it at the end, then add salt just a little at a time until you like it. That’s what I would. Seems like the safest way! Salt is a really personal thing and I have no idea what you will like. But no worries! Just taste it after it’s done and add salt until you like it. Good luck!!!

  5. Hi there, very nervous about making this as I’m in a new house with an over and stove top that aren’t so reliable (they are being replaced soon!)

    I don’t have a Dutch oven so will be using a saucepan. Just a few questions…

    I’m making a double batch (10 adults and 10kids) for a big dinner party – this will be a side to go with other meals and sides. Should I just double everything and throw in together or make two separate batches?

    What heat to cook the rice and oil? High? Medium?

    If I make two separate batches can I put them in the oven together on separate shelves? or should I put in one big baking dish and cook two batches together?

    God I hope it works out – never made a rice dish like this before – let alone to take along to a dinner party with lots of people!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Deb!!! No worries!!! I do typically make the rice in a saucepan and then transfer it to a casserole dish for baking. Whether you double the recipe and make it all together just depends on your pan size. Since you’ve never made it before, I would probably recommend making it in two separate batches. However, if you have a large stock pot (I would say 6 quarts or larger) AND a large casserole dish (5 quarts or larger) you can make the rice all at once. The one in my pictures is a 2 1/2 quart Corningware dish. So, you’d want a 5-quart casserole dish if you were going to bake it all at once. I don’t think you’d extend the baking time by much, if anything. Maybe 5 minutes, but probably not even that. But, you’ll need to have a large enough dish. If you are nervous, feel free to make two separate batches. You could always dump both of them into a crock pot and carry that to the party for serving. Also if you make one batch and you know it turns out, then you could feel confident to make another. I HOPE IT WORKS OUT TOO!! Thinking of you! 🙂 Please let me know if you have any more questions.

  6. For your Mexican rice recipe could you substitute more Roma tomatoes instead of the tomato paste?
    Thanks
    Jen5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Jen, yes I’m sure you could do that. It might not taste “exactly the same” but it would still taste good. The tomato paste adds a ton of concentrated flavor without lots of extra liquid, whereas adding a comparable amount of extra tomatoes (however many it would be) would add more liquid. But, I still think it would taste great and turn out fine (as long as you don’t add an extra half-dozen tomatoes!). I hope that helps. Next time I make this, I’ll leave out the tomato paste and see what happens and post my results. Thanks for your question!!! Take care.

  7. I would like to compliment the cook for this recipe. Made it tonight for my Wife & Mom..recipe came out Great,,I do have to say that it was at least if not better than the local mexican restaurants here. Is a keeper indeed..thxs again..Great Job. !!!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Well Will, YOU were the cook last night for the recipe, so you get all the kudos! So glad it turned out well and that everyone enjoyed it. 🙂 It’s one of my favorite recipes! Take care and have a great week.

  8. I have been searching for a good mexican rice recipe for years! Finally I have found it. This recipe is wonderful. I made it last night for a dinner party and it was perfect. Thank you!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Yay Megan, that’s great news!!! So glad you enjoyed the rice. Sounds like my kind of dinner party! Have a great week!

    1. Hi Jennifer, I think the cook time would probably be the same. Rice takes the same amount of time no matter how much you cook (takes the same amount if you double it, too). I hope this helps!

    1. Hi Rhea! I haven’t tried that with this exact recipe, but I’ve frozen other rice dishes with no issues. I think it would work just fine. Thanks!